Rating: 
Summary: Audio Book
Review: I have just started listening to this book in Audible format. I had to write a review, thinking the following a little odd:- The narrator has a little bit of a minnesotan accent...not unpleasant, but kind of disconcerting, given the subject matter. - He also has a very constantly dramatic, breathless style, so it is difficult to realize when he is saying something important or just narrating normally. I think that I can get past it so that I can enjoy the book thoroughly, but it is quite distracting in the beginning.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I highly recommend this book! My favorite chapter was the one in which Saul debates Stephen (before the stoning of course). I must also mention that I loved the way that the author would interject some of the letters of Paul; he made the letters come alive. I did not like the chapters about the Jerusalem conference of Acts 15. But remember this is fiction and as such I found it very uplifting and insightful.
Rating:
Summary: Among many books on Paul
Review: I write this brief review considering the many many books on Paul the Apostle, St. Paul, Saul of Tarsus, Paul the Poet, Saul the Pharisee, Paul the Convert, Paul the Revolutionary (as another book is titled) and the list goes on. So many books are written on Paul, that one is able to even see it from a certain point of view. Though I think this is worth 3.5 stars, compared to some others, I will stay with a 3. Much of what is written seems to be an extended account of the book of Acts also with some circumspection through the various points of view; Seneca for example. Though, I find the writing of differing letters highly original, the simplicity in this manner, does not bump my rating up. This book seems to be written from a more Fundamentalist-Pentecostal standpoint. Though I fully respect that point of view; I can not help but think at times, it may fall short in some truths, details and accuracies. For example, Speaking in Tongues, is this characteristic of the older Church or of the Church of Corinth? Early in the book, where Paul eats some pork, would he be as irreverent (it seems to appear) in the way this situation is handled? Would not the early Church be just as characterized by the breaking of bread? If Ezekiel 1 and Revelations 4 has a description which many Christians assign to the 4 gospels, why not show the Ox in the illustration for Luke's gospel, even with total respect for the fact he was most likely a physician, this could have been added. I am not sure if letters from (John) Mark are in the Novel, though I know John Mark is. Again, a Lion symbolizes his gospel in that it opens with John the Baptist roaring his preaching in the good news by Mark. I will say, the author Wangerin is positive and does a good job in seeking to write Luke's letters to make it sound like Luke. The journey to Antioch (and yes, there seems to actually be two, one near the coast and one in the mountains) does mention the Taurus Mountains, but doesn't that encompass quite a heroic feat to travail as opposed to the little said about this in the book. There are hundreds of books on Paul, even most of the best fall short on a perfect 5 rating, why? Because the writings of Paul are so diverse, deep and have been interpreted in very widespread ways, the second letter of Peter (2 Peter 3:15-16) even speaks of the difficulty in understanding Paul and all of Scripture for that manner. William Meeks, the Writings of St. Paul is probably one of the better books on Paul, with a wide variety of sources on Pauline writings, from early Apocrypha (The Acts of Paul and Thecla) to modern day writers such as Albert Schweitzer and many in between. A book I would say, that is not positive towards Christianity is A.N. Wilson's "Paul, the mind of the apostle", and though, I can disagree with much in it, he gives much to think about in the span of a rather brief book, not the 500 pages of this novel. Paul's letters are somewhat the basis of the Reformation by Martin Luther, on the concept of "Justification by Faith" (Romans 3) and many writings are involved in this alone. For a biographical sketch of Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free or Ernle Bradford's excellent, "Paul the Traveller" are of great help. Likewise, Alan F. Segal's "Paul the Convert" which encompasses the letters of Paul examined from a Judaic perspective may prove very fertile reading and the author seeks to be totally unbiased and objective in his examination. A classic in modern theology is the late Joachim Jeremias, books of his like Central Themes of the New Testament may garner knowledge to the reader in a few pages, a hundred by others. "Paul: A Novel" seems tailor made to a fundamentalist point of view, without much thought towards other readers it seems. Again, I fully respect that, but A.N. Wilson writes in the book cited above, visit a Seminary's library and one will find shelves on Paul's writings. This may not seem like an inviting task, but if one wishes to cover the subject, this may be a more realistic approach than what we find here. Lastly, this may be a good book for the turn of the new millenia, I was astonished to find, another novelized account of Paul's life happened in about 1898. Yet, this is something, that could be done from time to time, seeing the more we learn from the Bible and its world.
Rating:
Summary: How beautiful!
Review: I've read this novel about three different times and I always find something new in it. The way the early church is portrayed is very endearing, yet somehow realistic because of the conflicts involved. Some other reviewers have wondered about the Seneca sections, feeling that they detract from the book rather than add to it. I think Seneca was actually included to serve as a foil to Paul, to be a contrast to him, as well as show the historical context of the plot. There was actually only one thing that sort of bothered me: The whole "speaking in tongues" bit. From what I can gather in the Bible, it wouldn't have been like it was described in the book. I wonder if Mr. Wangerin's personal bias didn't sneak in there. Otherwise, this is an excellent book.
Rating: 
Summary: One of History's Greatest Stories, Well Told
Review: It's surprising that more authors don't use the epic story of Paul of Tarsus as a fictional base for their stories. I suppose it is because the story itself is so consuming, so grand in scale as to make the description of it a very difficult task. It is a daunting task that Mr. Wangerin accepts, and succeeds. Christianity is what Paul made it. Paul, or Saul in Hebrew, once persecuted the Christian sect with brutal violence at the behest of the Jewish Pharisee leadership. Then, everything changed. God speaks to Paul, asks him why he persecutes his followers. From that moment on, Paul is a man transformed. He is a true believer, absolutely determined to make the Christian faith a universal one, outside of the Jewish community. Many other early church leaders wanted to keep Christianity firmly rooted in Jewish tradition, even including circumsision for any Gentile converts. Paul was a vigorous voice against this, and the stories of his travels and his religious fervor are very enjoyable to read. You really get the sense of religious revival in the book, that so many people of the time left their daily lives and were willing to die for the cause, all because of Paul. To tell such a story, Wangerin uses 10 different narrators. This cuts both ways. While you get a lot of backround and perspective, I felt that none of the narrators really gained a distinctive voice. That hurt the book a bit, but overall the writing is excellant. The setting is described beautifully, as is the wild political situation at the time. It's even more enjoyable if one has prior knowledge of church history, but newcomers will enjoy it as well. Probably the best scene in the book is the fabled meeting of Paul, Peter, John, and James (Jesus' brother). While reading the discussion between these fiery men, you should realize that the decisions they made have a profound effect on the world 2000 years later. Great historical fiction and a very good educational aide also.
Rating:
Summary: One of History's Greatest Stories, Well Told
Review: It's surprising that more authors don't use the epic story of Paul of Tarsus as a fictional base for their stories. I suppose it is because the story itself is so consuming, so grand in scale as to make the description of it a very difficult task. It is a daunting task that Mr. Wangerin accepts, and succeeds. Christianity is what Paul made it. Paul, or Saul in Hebrew, once persecuted the Christian sect with brutal violence at the behest of the Jewish Pharisee leadership. Then, everything changed. God speaks to Paul, asks him why he persecutes his followers. From that moment on, Paul is a man transformed. He is a true believer, absolutely determined to make the Christian faith a universal one, outside of the Jewish community. Many other early church leaders wanted to keep Christianity firmly rooted in Jewish tradition, even including circumsision for any Gentile converts. Paul was a vigorous voice against this, and the stories of his travels and his religious fervor are very enjoyable to read. You really get the sense of religious revival in the book, that so many people of the time left their daily lives and were willing to die for the cause, all because of Paul. To tell such a story, Wangerin uses 10 different narrators. This cuts both ways. While you get a lot of backround and perspective, I felt that none of the narrators really gained a distinctive voice. That hurt the book a bit, but overall the writing is excellant. The setting is described beautifully, as is the wild political situation at the time. It's even more enjoyable if one has prior knowledge of church history, but newcomers will enjoy it as well. Probably the best scene in the book is the fabled meeting of Paul, Peter, John, and James (Jesus' brother). While reading the discussion between these fiery men, you should realize that the decisions they made have a profound effect on the world 2000 years later. Great historical fiction and a very good educational aide also.
Rating:
Summary: Wangerin's Paul
Review: Not being an author, I have always yearned for someone *else* to show the modern world what an incredible drama the stories of Paul & the early church hold. Wangerin has done a very good job, although I have some caveats to offer. On the positive side, the book does a fine job of character development in bringing some of the "stars" to life. Wangerin's James especially, as he struggles with his great respect for Paul & his angry astonishment at some of their differences, makes an impact on me. Some Christians may get anxious at the idea of Wangerin's artistic license as he speculates in order to flush out these characters, but rather than drawing one away from the scriptures, it brings a new excitement about them. At least in this reader! On the down side, the read is a little bumpy. Wangerin employs a variety of voices (Prisca, James, Timothy....interestingly enough, never Paul) to tell the story, and switching gears from person to person can be disorienting. So buckle yourself into your chariot before the journey, but then sit back & enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Wangerin's Paul
Review: Not being an author, I have always yearned for someone *else* to show the modern world what an incredible drama the stories of Paul & the early church hold. Wangerin has done a very good job, although I have some caveats to offer. On the positive side, the book does a fine job of character development in bringing some of the "stars" to life. Wangerin's James especially, as he struggles with his great respect for Paul & his angry astonishment at some of their differences, makes an impact on me. Some Christians may get anxious at the idea of Wangerin's artistic license as he speculates in order to flush out these characters, but rather than drawing one away from the scriptures, it brings a new excitement about them. At least in this reader! On the down side, the read is a little bumpy. Wangerin employs a variety of voices (Prisca, James, Timothy....interestingly enough, never Paul) to tell the story, and switching gears from person to person can be disorienting. So buckle yourself into your chariot before the journey, but then sit back & enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Paul's journey
Review: PAUL, A NOVEL, is a dramatic story of the apostle Paul's life journey from his experience of Christ on the road to Damascus, to Rome, with graphic details of travels, cities, and characters along the way. The way is revealed with a skillful blending of imaginative narrative, words from the Bible, and dialogue, that bring Biblical scenes to life. The reader feels that this is a picture of the real Paul, with all his strengths and frailties, often tragic, frequently heroic. It tells not only the story of Paul, but also of the early church the early apostles were struggling to establish. We see Paul through the eyes of his various friends and companions, most of whose names we know, and their characters also come through in their actions, manners of speaking, and styles of writing. The author has even included Seneca as one voice in this group, not as an associate of Paul, but as a writer and personage of the age, with a knowledge of Rome and its culture contemporary with Paul.
Rating:
Summary: Paul - Up Close and Personal
Review: Paul:A Novel by Walter Wangerin, Jr. Paul: A Novel is a fictional description of the Apostle Paul's journeys. . . to other lands, certainly, but also toward a more complete Christian personality. If you can make it through the first hundred pages, this book is a gem.
Among the many characters providing a multi-layered view of Paul's struggle to spread the Christian message to the world are Seneca, reflecting the history and politics of the time
and Priscilla, showing the vital role of women in the early Christian church.
Paul becomes a lovable, invigorating and genuine "person" to the
reader as he teaches love, forgiveness and grace. The message: Early Christians survived much conflict as the new church grew and developed, showing us that minor conflict today is surmountable! Hope is within reach of all who live in love!
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